How truthful are food labels?

EXCELLENT JOB!

You got them all right. Many consumers don’t realize how prevalent GMOs are in some of our most common crops: 94% of cotton, 93% of soybeans, and 88% of corn is genetically modified. Meanwhile, the FDA has yet to decide whether they have a net positive or negative impact on the health of consumers.

CORRECT ANSWERS

YOU WERE CLOSE.

At this point, 94% of cotton, 93% of soybeans, and 88% of corn is genetically modified. Meanwhile, the FDA has yet to decide whether GMOs have a net positive or negative impact on the health of consumers.

NOT QUITE RIGHT.

At this point, 94% of cotton, 93% of soybeans, and 88% of corn is genetically modified. Meanwhile, the FDA has yet to decide whether GMOs have a net positive or negative impact on the health of consumers.

EXCELLENT JOB!

You got it right. To be labeled “organic,” the USDA requires proof from an outside agency that 95% of the product is produced organically.

CORRECT ANSWER

YOU WERE CLOSE.

If a product consists of 70–95% organic material, then it can include “made with organic ingredients” on its label. To be labeled “organic,” the USDA requires proof from an outside agency that 95% of the product is produced organically.

CORRECT ANSWER

NOT QUITE RIGHT.

If a product consists of 70–95% organic material, then it can include “made with organic ingredients” on its label. To be labeled “organic,” the USDA requires proof from an outside agency that 95% of the product is produced organically.

CORRECT ANSWER

EXCELLENT JOB.

If a product has less than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving, it can be labeled cholesterol free. However, using this type of label on fruit and other fresh produce is potentially misleading since these foods are naturally cholesterol-free.

CORRECT ANSWERS

VERY CLOSE.

Very close. In order to be labeled cholesterol-free, a product must contain less than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving.

NOT QUITE RIGHT.

If a product has more than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving, it cannot be labeled cholesterol-free.

CORRECT ANSWERS

CORRECT ANSWERS

EXCELLENT CHOICES.

The FDA does not have any official definition of “natural,” but many companies use the label on their foods. The FDA has “not objected to” the use of “natural” as long as the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.

NOT QUITE.

The FDA does not have any official definition of “natural,” but many companies use the label on their foods. The FDA has “not objected to” the use of “natural” as long as the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.

CORRECT ANSWERS

this was a bit of a trick question.

There’s very little guidance for what constitutes local, so the definition varies based on whom you ask. Many “locavores,” or people who consume mostly locally produced food, restrict their diet to goods produced within 100 or 250 miles of their home. Some farm grants intended to promote local produce set the bar at 400 miles from the origin of the food, but many store chains and brands set their own standards.